Feature: Broadway-bound The Way Way West to Perform at Myron’s at The Smith Center

The composers of the all-new Broadway-bound musical, The Way Way West, will perform the songs from this exciting original musical score at Myron’s at The Smith Center on June 26.

The Way Way West is a collection of five stories inspired by actual characters who intersect at the Mountain Meadows in the Utah Territory in 1857. The stories showcase remarkable acts of pioneering courage alongside themes of politics, religion, and military aggression, all vying for the promise of a new frontier. Accompanied by modern Americana and folk music, this work highlights the far-reaching and cascading effects of one man's narcissism and pain on countless individuals across vast distances.

The creative team includes Broadway veterans Dan Sharkey (Spiderman-Turn Off the Dark), Mike Eldred (“Jean Valjean" in Les Misérables, Frank Wildhorn’s Civil War), and award-winning songwriters and record producers Chris Roberts and Ross Bridgeman. Actor/director Daz Weller and some of Las Vegas’ finest musicians will also perform. 

“We were looking to present something new and different from what Broadway currently offers. With cowboy poetry and contemporary Americana Folk music, we wanted to tell the stories of the lost and forgotten voices of the Old West,” explained Sharkey. “We were inspired by the courage and strength of the everyday people who faced every possible hurdle in their quest for a new and better life.”

When they discovered the little-known story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the creative team knew it was necessary to research and understand the people involved. The church's vow of silence and a century of cover-up added intrigue.

“As we began to dig and learn more about these unsung heroes through documents and letters from the period, it became obvious that we didn't pick the story; this story picked us. The Way Way West is different in its approach to presenting its characters with the combination of good, old-fashioned storytelling and cowboy poetry mixed with modern folk music,” added Sharkey.

The team researched Buchanan's Blunder, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and the Baker Fancher Wagon Train. They also reviewed written accounts of Eleanor Jane McComb McClean Pratt, The Pony Express, and the accounts of Brigham Young, George A Smith, and Porter Rockwell. There were the individual accounts of the families of the wagon trains and, ultimately, the confession and execution of John D Lee. After one year of research and inspired by a motivational Ken Burns interview, it was finally time to put pen to paper.

“I think each audience member will take away something different from the theater, but the never-ending need for political power, religious dominance, and control over the less fortunate are as relevant today as they were 170 years ago,” stated Sharkey.

Proceeds benefit The Composers Showcase LV LTD, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a platform for original musical creations, scholarships for young composers, and financial aid for the entertainment community of Las Vegas.

 “We are in our 20th year and approaching our 20th anniversary next spring,” said Keith Thompson, Producer, Host, and President of The Composers Showcase. “In addition to our regular monthly showcase held at Myron's at The Smith Center, where we promote and provide a forum for composers/songwriters and their original music, we have expanded our scholarship program to include three different music departments at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas including jazz, classical and electronic music.”